Typewriting machine



July 6,1926. 1,591,920

C. B. CORCORAN TYPEWRITING MACHI NE Filed Nov. 23, 1923 Patented July 6,1 926.-

UNITED STATES 1,591,920 PATENT OFFICE.

CORNELIUS B. CORCORAN, DECEASED, LATE OF NEW YORK, N. Y.; BY MICHAEL J.CORCORAN, ADMINISTRATOR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOODTYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

Application filed,November 2B, 1923. Serial No. 676,514.

This invention relates to sound-deadening devices for typewritingmachines, and is in the nature of a sound-muflling canopy for asound-absorbing shell which encloses the typewriting machine whilepermitting the ordinary typing operations to be carried on.

The invention may preferably be used in combination with asound-deadening shell or shoe, such as, for example, that shown in theco-pending application, Serial- No. 604,468, filed December 2, 1922 (nowpatent No. 1,509,828, dated September 30, 1924). The canopy may beswingably mounted upon the rear wall of the box.

In the preferred form, the cover comprises an upstanding flat portion ofabout the width of the rear wall of the box, normally spaced asufficient distance from the rear wall to allowa long work-piece zto'behung therebetween. Integral with the flat portion is an upper curvedportion, which extends forwardly over the platen, so as to absorb thesound waves which are produced by the types striking the platen, andthose due to the movements of the platen and the platencarriage. Thevibrations are absorbed by the dampening material with which the canopyis lined.

The canopy is preferably composed of an outer light, sheet-metal plateand an inner foraminous plate, which exposes a soundabsorbing filler,such as felt, confined between the plates.

The normal effective position of the canopy over the carriage allowstyping'to be done without interference; provides an unobstructed view ofthe work-sheet for a substantial distance above the printing posi--tion; does not interfere with the making of erasures or corrections atthe printing line; provides a smooth metallic surface to deflect theleading edge of the Work-sheet downwardly within the space formed by therear wall of the box-sectionand the front wall of the canopy; has openends, so as not to interfere with the to-and-fro movement of thecarriage and work-sheet; and is arranged to swing across the top of thema- I chine to a rear inoperative position through wall of. the shell,so that it may be swung backwardly to give free access to the top of thecarriage,

The lower edge of the canopy is preferably hinged near the bottom of theshell, so that long work-sheets inserted around the platen andprojecting over the rear wall may be accommodated without interferingwith the carriage movement. When shorter work-sheets are used, the covermay be f hinged to the top edge of the wall.

The hinge is preferably constructed to hold the canopy in its normaleffective positlon by a spring, and may havea detent latch, or it maysimply have a counterbalance as by means of a spring.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

when the coveris releasablylatched in its extreme displaced position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged'plan View, partly in section, of thehinge-connection shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view, partly in section, of a fragment of'the novel cover,showing the construction of the lower edge thereof.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic View in side elevation similar to Figure 1,showing a modified form of the invention.

' Figure 7 is an enlarged view in side elevation of the modified form ofthe hinge-connection shown in Figure .6.

Referring to the drawings, a typew'riting machine 10 may be fitted intoan. enclosing sound-deadeningbox 11, which has its interior 12 linedwith suitable sound-absorbing material such as felt, in order to reducethe objectionable noises produced during the typing operation. The box11 may be of the form described in the co-pending application referredto above. a 7

Such dampening devices, however, will not wholly mufile the soundpropagated upwardly from the machine 10, especially those sound waveswhich are produced by the type-heads l3 striking against the platen 14,and those produced by shifting the platenframe 15 in the carriage 16.

The invention effectively intercepts and absorbs these upwardlyemanating noises, and may comprise a sound-absorbing cover or canopy 17composed of an outer metallic shell 18 and an inner closely-perforatedmetallic shell 19, with a pad of sound-absorbing material 20therebetween. The upper and side edges of the outer shell 18 may beclamped over the inner shell 19 to hold the members forming the cover 17together, and a bar 22 may be suitably fastened, as by screws 23, to thelower edge of cover 17 on the inner side thereof to bind and to stiffenthe same. The canopy 17 may be supported in a suitable manner, as

by a pivotal connection from the rear side of box 11 to extend upwardlyand forwardly over the carriage 15.

The preferred form of cover 17 see F igures l and 2, comprises a lowerupstanding fiat portion 24 normally spaced from and parallel to the rearside wall of box 11, to allow a long work-piece 25 to be movedtherebetween by the platen-carriage 16 without interference, and anupper portion 26 of curved cross-section integral with the flat portion24. The upper portion 26 extends forwardly over the platen 14, so as toact as a bafiie against which the noise-producing vibrations risingupwardly from the machine may strike to be absorbed. Where only ordinaryor short length work-sheets are used, the cover 17 may be modified toform a single curved memberhinged near the top edge of the rear wall ofbox 11, as shown in Figure 6.

The lower corners of the outer shell 18 ma be formed with extending arms27, which are bent forwardly and may be tapped to receive shoulderedhinge-screws 28. In the preferred form of hinge-connection, shown inFigures 1, 2 and 3, bearing-plates 29 may be fastened at their upper andlower portions by suitable means, as screws 30, threaded into the sidewalls 31 of box. 11 close to the lower rear corners thereof. The upperportions of plates 29 may be of curved shape to conform with the outeredges of curved clearance slots 32, and their lower portions may extendrearwardly to form a pivotal connection with arms 27 of the cover 17through the hinge-screws 28. Close to the outer ends of arms 27 studscrews 33 may be mounted to extend inwardly into box 11 through theslots 32. The free ends of screw-studs 33 may act as anchors for theends of retractile springs 34:, the other ends of which may engagesuitable fixed means, as screw-studs 35, fastened into the sides 31 ofthe box 11 close to the bottom edge and projecting inwardly thereof.

Slotted sector plates 36 may also be held by the screws 30 to have thecurved slots therein coincide with slots 32 in the sides of box 11. Theends of the slots in sector plates 36 may act as stops for thestudscrews 33 fastened to the arms 27 of cover 17 to limit the swingingdisplacement of the same.

To releasably hold the cover 17 in its extreme displaced position, flatdetent-springs 37, shaped to correspond with slots 32, may be rigidlyheld by their lower ends over slots 32 by the lower set of screws 30, sothat the upper ends of the springs 37 may be in the path of movement ofthe studscrews 33 to releasably engage the same when the cover 17 ismoved to its extreme displaced position.

In operation of the preferred form, the cover 17 is swung backwardly,when it is required to give access to the top of the machine, onhinge-screws 28 against the action of the springs 3%. The cover 17 willbe held in its extreme displaced position by the ends of the fiatsprings 37, which engage the stud-screws 33. By a slight forward pull onthe cover 17, the stud-screws 33 will he slipped over the ends of thesprings 37, and thereafter the cover 17 will be automatically returnedto its normal effective position by springs 34, see Figures 3 and 4.

In the modified form shown in Figures 6 and 7, a single member 38 mayreplace the bearing and sector plates of the preferred form, and may beattached in any suitable manner to the sides of box 11 as by soldering.In this arrangement the springs 3i merely act to balance the weight ofthe cover when it is in its displaced position.

.It will be particularly noted that the canopy has a width approximatelythe same as the width of the machine; that the printing position of thetypes, which are the noisy elements in the machine, is ventral of thewidth of the canopy; and that noise-producing vibrations rising to andintercepted by the canopy. are absorbed or dissipated through theco-operation of the fine perforated surface with the sound-absorbingfelt inlay.

Broad claims directed to the specific construction of the perforated,sound-absorbing canopy will be found in my pendin applicagion, SerialNo. 653,041, filed J uly 21, 19 3.

Variations. may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, andportions of the improvements may be used without others.

means for connecting said cover and said shell to allow the cover toswing across the machine from its normal effective position for givingaccess to the top of the machine.

2. In a typewriting machine, in combination witha sound-deadening box orsimilar device in which the machine sets, a soundabsorbing, open-endedcover overhanging the machine from the rear to intercepttheupwardly-propagated noise-producing vibrations, without interferingwith the typing operations, means for connecting said cover and said boxto allow the cover to swing across the machine from its normal effectiveposition to'give access to the top of the machine, and releasabledetent-means to hold the cover in its displacedposition.

3. In a typewriting machine, in coinbi nation with a sound-deadening boxor similar device in which the machine sets, a soundabsorbing,open-ended cover overhanging the machine from the rearto intercept theupwardly-propagated noise-producing vibrations, without interfering withthe typing operations, means for connecting said cover and said box toallow the cover to swing rearwardly across the machine from its normaleffective position to give access to the top of the machine, said meansincluding a detent means to releasably hold the cover in its displacedposition, and other means to urge the cover back to its normal effectiveposition when manually released from said detent means.

4. In a typewriting machine, the combina tion with a sound-deadening boxor similar device in which the machine sets, of a movable carriage tohold a work-piece for letterspace movement therewith, a sound-absorbing,open-ended canopy overhanging the carriage from the rear to interceptthe upwardly-propagated noise-producing vibrations, without interferingwith the typing operations, and means connecting the canopy to said boxto permit the canopy to swing across the machine in a transversedirection to the movement of the carriage for giving access to the top.of the machine.

5. In typewriting machine, the combination with a sound-deadening box orsimilar device in which the machine sets, of a movable carriage to holda work-piece for letter-space movement therewith, a soundabsorbing covercomprising a lower ortion positioned a spaced distance from tie outsideof the rear wall of said box, and an upper portion extending over thecarriage to intercept the upwardly-propagated noiseproducing vibrations,without interfering with the typing operations, and means connectingsaid cover to the rear wall of the box adjacent the bottom edge thereofto permit the cover to be displaced in a translar device in which themachine sets, of a sound-absorbing cover comprising an outer shell and aclosely-perforated inner shell and having a sound-absorbing materialdisposed therebetw'een, said cover extending over the machine tointercept the upwardlypropagated noise-producing vlbrations, with-outinterfering with the typing operations, and means to hold said cover 1nnormal effective posit-ion. f

7. In a typewritin machine, the combination with a sound-deadening boxor similar device in which the machine, sets, of a sound-absorbing covercomprising an outer shell and a closely-perforated inner shell, andhaving asound-absorbing material disposed therebetwee-n, said coverextending over the machine to intercept the upwardlypropagatednoise-producing vibrations, without interfering with the typingoperations, means for connecting said cover and the box to allow thecover to be displaced from its normal effective position for givingaccess to the top of the machine, detent means to releasably holdthecover in its extreme displaced position, and means to urge the coverback to its normal-effective position when displaced therefrom andreleased from said detent means.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a sound-deadening boxor similar device in which the machine sets, of a movable carriage tohold a work-piece for letterspace movement, a sound-absorbing covercomprising an outer shell and a closely-perforated inner shell, andhaving a sound-absorbing material disposed therebetween, said cop erhaving a lower portion positioned a spaced distance from the outside ofthe rear wall of saidbox, and an upper portion extending over thecarriage to intercept the upwardly-propagated noise-producingvibrations, without interfering with the typing operations, meansconnecting said cover to the rear Wall of the box adjacent the bottomedge thereof to permit the cover to be displaced in a transversedirection to the movement of the carriage for giving access to the topof the machine and to allow free movement of the work-piece with thecarriage between the outside of the box and said cover, and means tohold said cover in nor mal effective position. a

9. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a movable carriage to holda worksheet for letter-space movement therewith, and a sound-absorbing,open-ended canopy normally overhanging over the carriage from the rearto intercept the upwardlypropagated noise -producing vibrations, withoutinterfering with the typing operations and spaced from the machine topermit free movement of the work-sheet with the. carriage between themachine and the canopy, said canopy being displaceable rearwardly acrossthe machine from its normal effective position to give access to the topof the machine.

10. In a typewriting machine, in combina-" tion, a movable carriage tohold a Work-sheet for letter-space movement therewith, asound-absorbing, open-ended canopy normally overhanging over thecarriage from the rear to intercept the upwardly-propagatednoise-producing vibrations, without interfering with the typingoperations and spaced from the machine to permit free movementiof thework-sheet with the carriage between the machine and the canopy, saidcanopy being displaceable across the machine to the rear from its normaleffective position to give access ,to the top of the machine, releasabledetent means to hold the canopy in its displaced position, and means tourge the canopy back to its normal effective position when released fromsaid detent means.

11. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a movable carriage to holda worksheet'for letter-space movement therewith, a sound-absorbing,open-ended canopy normally overhanging the carriage to intercept theupwardly-propagated noise-producing vibrations, without interfering withthe typing operations, said canopy being displaceable across the machineto the rear from -its normal efi'ective position to give access to thetop of the machine, and means to counterbalance the canopy when in itsdisplaced position.

12. In a typewriting machine including a carriage, the combination witha sounddeadening case enclosing the lower part of the machine, of aco-operating sound-absorbing canopy pivoted to the lower rear corners ofthe case in such a manner as to overhang and not enclose the carriagebut movable rearwardly and downwardly across the carriage from anoperative position to give access to the carriage to insert awork-sheet.

13. In a typewriting machine including a carriage, the combination witha sounddeadening case enclosing the machine on two sides and the rear,of a co-operat'rng soundabsorbing canopy pivoted at the lower rearcorners of the case having a vertical section normally parallel to therear wall of the case and formed integrally with a curved canopy sectionto overhang the carriage, the inner faces of both sections formed with acontinuous perforated wall to intercept the sound-waves.

14. In a typewriting machine including a carriage, the combination witha sounddeadening case enclosing the machine on two sides and the rear,of a co-operating soundabsorbmg element pivoted to the lower rearcorners of the case to extend upwardly and parallel to the rear of thecase to terminate at a canopy to overhang the carriage, comprising aback section with turned-up edges to enclose sound-absorbing materialand covered by a perforated front section to intercept the sound-wavesand direct them to the absorbing element within.

15. In a typewriting machine including a platen, the combination with asounddeadening case enclosing the machine on two sides and the rear, ofa co-opcrating threepart sound-absorbing canopy pivoted at the lowerrear corners of the case to overhang the platen, comprising a shell,sound-absorb ing material enclosed by the shell, and a perforated cover,all three combining to form a unitary open-ended sound-absorbingstructure over the printing position.

MICHAEL J. CORCORAN, Administrator of the Estate of Cornelius B.

Coreoran, Deceased.

